HLG supports its clients’ development of ideas and inventions into the development and advance of industries. We are conversant with the full spectrum of IP and other rights in information and the context of local contract, employment and competition law and are sensitive to particular business realities. Thus, we offer strategic insight and execution not available from many transactional lawyers who rely on advisors specialized in particular IP disciplines. HLG cost-effectively helps shape and negotiate sound transactions and arrangements to license in rights to build the enterprise or to license out rights for royalty revenue or for manufacturing, distribution, service or extension of a platform to markets better served by licensees.

With the cost of asserting IP rights in court reaching well into the seven figures on average for fully litigating a patent infringement case, owners, always limited in their resources, do well to demonstrate the credibility of enforcement at all stages. HLG provides that credibility through the strategic and tactical advantages of full-spectrum technological, business and procedural situational awareness and short-lines-of-communication responsiveness resulting in nimbler execution at decidedly lower “burn rates” than typically larger adversaries.

These advantages allow HLG to optimize IP portfolios for credibility and early acceptance by licensees and to position credible assertions in court or before favorable administrative tribunals as the USITC (with the imprimatur of the U.S. government, including participation by the USITC staff). This is a factor supporting potential third-party litigation financing, including assertion insurance. Should litigation intensify, HLG can scale up with colleagues known to be efficient. HLG can pressure settlement using its cost advantage. Often the tipping point will occur when a decision must be made to commit to a next major step in litigation or at a meeting of the principals, with or without a neutral such as a mediator, where HLG’s advantages can be demonstrated.

These same advantages apply to defending the enterprise against attack. Understanding of the technology, the industry and the rights may allow early repulse of an assertion and possibly a preemptive strike in a petition for an IPR. HLG’s cost advantage also provides settlement leverage, and its professionals have had success over the years in combinations of “business solutions” of collaboration or “design-arounds.” Typically, employment attorneys representing employers against former employees in non-competition cases are not technologically savvy, and HLG has the advantage of greater knowledge of technology and competition law.

HLG is uniquely qualified to help advance its client’s industry by establishment of components of the production and distribution chain using or by monetization of its ideas and inventions through licensing and supporting litigation.